Dancing in the dark
by Silken
Summary: After his last ordeal Toby is uncertain where his telepathy is concerned. Will he loose control again? And what does he do when he unexpectedly ends up in the middle of an undercover police operation?
1. Doubts

**Disclaimer**: Nothing in The Listener universe is mine, sadly enough. All the recognizable characters are merely borrowed with the promise of returning them in good state. No money is made of this...

**Summary**: After his last ordeal Toby is uncertain where his telepathy is concerned. Will he loose control again? And what does he do when he unexpectedly ends up in the middle of an undercover police operation?

**Author's note**: My second fanfiction! After the overwhelming amount of very positive reviews I received for my first story, I decided to keep writing. The story is not finished, so this one will take a lot longer to publish compared to the previous one. However, as I noticed no one is posting anything new recently, I wanted to treat you guys to my story.

Of course I would love to hear your views on this new storyline. It sort of continues where the last one ended. Maybe you should read that one first if you haven't already. I think you can read this one on itself, but it may make more sense if you know more of the background. Especially for this first chapter as it mostly ties up the loose ends from the previous story.

**Extra note 1**: English still is not my native tongue, but your positive feedback has improved my selfconfidence with the language a lot. I have even tried writing this story in the past tense. Probably with more mistakes this time, as past verbs are very tricky for a non-native speaker...

**Extra note 2**: I am not a big fan of romantic stories; however, the relationship between Olivia and Toby will be a very present fact in the story. It's nothing fluffy, I promise. I just enjoy couples being attracted to each other and at the same continuously pushing each other away for some or other reason...

**Extra note 3**: I also love my main characters to have a rough time, hence the rating (to be on the safe side) for later chapters. No promises that Toby will not get hurt this time... Call me crazy!!

**Extra note 4**: As in my previous story all the telepathy readings will be in _Italic_.

**Extra note 5**: As the character of Ray is not really very clear to me in the series, I am not sure he's portrayed quite accurately in this chapter. But hey, call it writer's freedom, this is how he fitted nicely into my own universe. ;-)

Enjoy!

* * *

Toby sat in Ray's office. Since his rescue a few days ago this was the first time he had actually left his apartment. He had come over very early to avoid the morning crowd. Not fully trusting his telepathy after the whole ordeal of his kidnapping, he didn't want to loose control again like that.

"So you got flashes from your past? And it mixed with the things you were getting from those guys?" Ray asked with his elbows resting on the desk and his hands folded underneath his chin.

Toby sighed. Ray wanted to know every single detail of what had happened to him, but since he himself didn't really understand it, he got tired of the never-ending questions. He just needed to get his gift back in control and that was it. "Yes, Ray. Flashes from my past mingled with their thoughts."

"And you couldn't distinguish between them?"

"No."

"Were the memories things you remembered before?"

"Yes. Things from when I lived out on the street."

"Yeah, right." Ray leaned back into his chair and studied Toby's face. The boy looked tired. Not tired as in a lack of sleep, but tired from deep within. Like he had been fighting battles with his inner mind. He probably had…

"Look Ray," Toby sat up straight, wincing slightly at his still healing ribs, and wiped a hand over his face. "I understand you want to figure out as much as you can and I am your very special project and all, but right now I need your help with my telepathy. Have you got any new techniques I could use?"

"Sorry, Toby," Ray apologized. "This is just sort of fascinating. But don't think you are just a project to me, ok? I care for you and maybe I get carried away a bit by my professional interest, but I deeply care for you."

"I know," the telepath answered softly. "But right now I need you to be a friend, not a psychiatrist."

Ray nodded. If there was one thing he regretted, it was not taking Toby home with him all those years ago. At that time he just couldn't see a way how. He was a single guy without much of a social life. He lived for his work; helping troubled kids was his calling, so to speak. Toby would be better off with parents who really wanted a kid, who had the time and could give him all the love he deserved. Or that's what he had told himself.

To be very honest, Ray had not been ready to give up his way of life to raise a small boy even if he had been giving the opportunity, which he hadn't. It had been a selfish decision and now, years later, he regretted it immensely. He should have fought more for the kid. But how could he have known Toby would become such a pawn in the foster care system?

"What are you thinking?" A soft voice interrupted his musings.

"You really need to ask?" Ray raised his eyebrows.

Toby cocked his head sideways. "I don't want to invade your privacy."

"Since when do you care?"

"I just thought I was being polite." Toby shrugged. "And don't blame yourself for how my life turned out. It's not your fault."

"So much for my privacy." Ray smiled and sat up again. "Let's not dwell on the past, ok? It's not why you're here. You say you can't control your telepathy anymore?"

"To be honest, I don't know. I haven't really been outside much," Toby admitted. How should he put this? "What if it happens again?"

"Why would it happen again? You're not planning on getting beaten up again, are you?"

"Of course not. But what if my telepathy has evolved to another level?"

"What do you mean exactly?"

Toby searched for the rights words for a moment. "When I was a kid and I couldn't control my gift, I just got hits from other people. There was never any interfering of my own mind."

"And this time you fear that every time you now get a flash you will also relive some things from the past." Ray understood the boy's apprehension.

"Is that possible?"

"Toby, everything is possible. It's not like there is a manual on how telepathy works."

"Thanks Ray, that's very helpful," Toby sounded annoyed.

"Look. From what I have learned over the years, I don't think you should be scared of loosing control again. And I doubt you will relive your childhood either. Those were extreme circumstances. However, the only way to figure it out is to go out there and train your gift again. Use the techniques you've always used."

Toby stayed silent. Deep down he knew that was the only way, but somehow he had counted on some more reassurance from Ray. He stood up. "Thanks Ray."

"You want me to come with you? You know, in case things do go downhill."

"And thank you so much for your belief in me." Toby nonchalantly waved his hand through the air. "I'll be fine. See you later, Ray."

_See you later, kid_. He should no longer consider Toby a kid, really.

***************

Slowly opening the door from Ray's house onto the street, Toby let the morning rush wash over him. Hesitating a second he looked around, mentally checking his mind's barriers. Walking back towards his apartment he concentrated so hard on not hearing anyone's thoughts that he barely registered where he was going. On this Friday morning the city was alive and vibrant, people running left and right, trying to get wherever it was they needed to be.

To his own relief he did manage to control his gift without even having to use the techniques he mastered as a child. No uninvited flashes entered his brain, no memories plagued him. Some of the tension left his body. There was still one more test he wanted to perform, just to be on the safe side.

Entering his apartment block he went straight up to the roof. Looking down he had a fairly good view on this part of the city with cars, pedestrians and even a few cyclists crisscrossing each other in the streets. Toby sighed deeply. Ray was right: there was only one way to find out if he still had total control.

Slowly Toby let the defences in his brain down. Carefully at first. A few random thoughts strayed into his mind. _How am I supposed to get there now? Stupid bus!_ Flash. _Check out those legs! Wow!_ Flash. _Remember to bring potatoes_.

He easily managed to push these thoughts to the back of his mind. Feeling more at ease now, he opened up his mind even further. More thoughts came flooding in but nothing funny happened. Finally completely letting down his barriers, Toby's eyes lost their focus. The strange thoughts invading his head didn't mean anything anymore; they melted together in a buzzing hum of noise. Some flashes came with vivid images that were gone before he even registered them.

When asked how exactly it felt, Toby could never answer it truthfully. Right at this point he had no control over the thoughts as they entered his mind. They floated in and out, not making any sense whatsoever. He had lost contact with reality. There was absolute chaos in his mind. However he did stay in control of his own mind.

The feeling should be terrifying but Toby had never known anything else. In a weird way it was comforting to be able to let himself go for a few moments. As a kid, when he had finally learned how to control his telepathy, he had often lost himself in someone else's mind. It had been an easy way to escape his present life for a while.

When he grew up that need to run away somewhat lessened and he closed his mind off completely for most of the time. That didn't mean it was quiet in his head. There were always stray thoughts at the edge of his brain, a strange image flashing through his head every now and again. But over the years he had learned to live with that; he didn't know how silence in your head felt like, so he could honestly say that he didn't miss it.

And right now it was comforting to loose himself again like this, as it meant that he still had every control over his ability as he once had. The strange thoughts were still swirling uncontrollably in his head, a fact that would have caused every other person to panic, but Toby was smiling. His telepathy was like a very delicate game to play and he was glad that he still knew all the rules.

***************

"Toby, come on! We'll be late." Oz waited impatiently at the door.

After a week of recovering from his ordeal, Toby was expected back at work today. And although he checked his control on his ability, he was still quite nervous.

At work was where he had gotten the strongest hits so far. Hits that slammed into his brain like a sledgehammer. They weren't the random thoughts from strangers in the street; they were the cries for help from people in need. And Toby wasn't sure whether he could handle those attacks yet.

Of course there was another reason for his nervousness as well. Since he left the hospital last week he hadn't seen or heard from Olivia. After the present she gave him, he had had good hopes of her finally coming to terms with his ability. But she hadn't called or come by and he wasn't sure where that left them.

Taking a final look in the mirror, he ran his hands through his hair. More prepared than this he would never be and he would have to face her at some point. "I'm coming!"

"Ryder will be glad to have you back," Oz said, driving his orange car through the morning traffic. "I don't know but I get the feeling he doesn't trust me that much and he actually needs you to keep an eye on me."

Toby shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His friend wasn't too far from the truth. "You are a great paramedic, Oz. It doesn't matter what Ryder thinks about you personally, as long as you perform well."

"Yeah, that's not reassuring," Oz glanced sideways. "You are supposed to say that Ryder does like me. Hell, tell me that I am his favourite."

"You are his favourite."

"Right," Oz shook his head. "You need to work on your ability to lie."

"That's a required ability?"

"Of course. Especially when you want to call yourself my friend."

"I'll keep that in mind," Toby said. He gazed out of the window, enjoying his friend's easy company and the absurd conversations they were always having. Things seemed to be back to normal and no unwelcome flashes had bombarded his brain.

"_Should I ask him how he's feeling?"_ "Oh, sorry!" Oz' face reddened when Toby suddenly turned back to look at him.

"I am fine, Oz. Really," Toby insisted when he noticed Oz giving him a sceptical look. "I told you: I went to talk to Ray, I practised my techniques and nothing weird happened. Whatever occurred last week was a fluke. Extreme circumstances."

"Sure." Oz sounded unconvinced. "You got those flashes because they were beating you up, right?"

"Yes and I am not planning to let that happen again any time soon."

"Hey man, as long as you don't pass out on the job, I'm good." Thinking for a moment Oz grinned all of a sudden. "You know, Ryder may be wrong about trusting you more than me. After all, between the two of us, you are the freak."

Toby raised his eyebrows. "Thanks mate, just what I needed to hear."

Ignoring his friend's comment, Oz kept grinning during the rest of the ride. Ryder may not particularly like him, but at least he was the normal one in this partnership.

***************

The hospital seemed to be fairly quiet for a change. No frantic doctors running back and forth, no patients were rushed through the corridors. Toby walked towards the coffee room further down the hall, where he knew Olivia usually spent her free time to keep up with her paperwork.

The pretty brunette indeed sat at a table, her back towards the door, which gave Toby the opportunity to check her out without her noticing. She wore her hair in a ponytail as usual and her wide lab coat hid her nicely curved body. Nevertheless, Toby thought she looked as beautiful as ever, especially since he knew what was underneath the coat.

"Knock, knock." He walked further into the room, smiling at her shocked face when she turned around in a fright.

"Toby, for crying out loud! You scared the hell out of me." Olivia clutched her heart and closed her eyes for a second.

"Sorry," Toby answered, not feeling apologetic at all. "How are you?"

"I should be the one asking you. You were the one being kidnapped." Olivia stood up from the chair she was sitting in. She studied the handsome man in front of her. He seemed ok, the bruises had healed and his eyes held that lively, boyish laughter in them again. But she also noticed the well-hidden carefulness in his movements. His ribs were still causing him some grief then.

He lingered on the spot a bit, not coming too close towards her. Olivia sighed. Apparently the secretive, distant posture that came naturally with the package seemed still in place as well.

"I am fine, Liv," Toby answered softly after a few moments of silence. "You could have called earlier to check up on me." His voice betrayed a hint of accusation.

"So could you," the doctor replied. "After all, I made sure my number was in your phone."

Toby slowly nodded his head. "You needed some time, I didn't want to be too pushy."

"Always a reason, haven't you?" Olivia's smile belied her rather harsh words. "And before you ask, I am still not very happy with the whole telepathy. But…" She hesitated.

"But what?" Toby insisted.

She stayed quiet, looked up and stared him deep in the eyes. _"But I am willing to give it a try."_ And after another heartbeat: _"Because I love you. I always have."_


	2. Life is good or not

**Disclaimer**: see first chapter

**Author's note**: Some warning for this chapter, as there is some sexual context in it. Nothing too graphic, but don't be offended! Without giving too much away, there will be more sexual content in the rest of the story. I am still writing it (and life keeps getting in the way, so it goes slow), but it once again takes me further than I anticipated. I was not sure if I should keep going the way I am, but I decided to just see where it takes me. As I have said, if you are offended by stuff like this, please do not read any further.  
I promise there will not be anything graphic in it, it's more about the suggestion and the flirting. But I do not want to upset anyone, so I put out this warning (a bit for this chapter and even more for the next...)

Anyway, thank you all for reading the first chapter and an even bigger thank you to those who left a review! It gives me incentive to keep writing and I hope you will all stick with it till the end...

Enjoy!

* * *

2. Life is good… or not

Toby smiled, enjoying the soft breeze on his face while finishing the last of his lunch. Winter was finally leaving the country. Not that Toby particularly disliked the winter season; after all, he did live in Canada. However, if he could choose he preferred spring. Things started to bloom; life seemed to pick up again after a long winter's sleep and it wasn't unbearably hot like summertime sometimes could be.

Oz stood a few feet away, chatting to a petite blonde that funnily enough seemed interested in whatever the guy was explaining. Her friend on the other hand looked annoyed and rolled her eyes from time to time, clearly ready to leave but hesitant to go without her girlfriend. Toby watched the scene amusedly.

"And then, you know, we took this guy to the hospital just to be safe. But there was nothing wrong with him! I'm telling you he must have a fantastic guardian angel out there somewhere." Oz shook his head, completely disregarding the second girl who sighed deeply after listening to the story.

"_What an idiot!"_She raised her eyebrows and pointedly turned around, pretending to check out the store's window behind her.

The blond however seemed mesmerized by the story. "Wow, what a job! It must be so great to be able to save all those lives. I mean, you are sort of a hero." _"And you're not bad looking either."_

Oz's face reddened. "Well… Hero is a big word. It is what we are trained to do. And we don't save everyone, some people die in front of us or we don't get them to the hospital in time."

The girl looked alarmed. _"Eh? What?"_ Toby realised he had to interfere before Oz completely stuffed up his chances with the woman.

"My friend here is obviously a bit shy." He put his arm around Oz's shoulder. "He does save loads of people. What he means is that sometimes we arrive too late, we're not God after all. But 9 out of 10 time Oz is the life saver." Toby really had no idea what exactly the statistics were, but he was fairly convinced the girl wouldn't bother looking them up.

The blond stared at Oz apprehensively. "Right?! And what is your job then?" She asked Toby the question this time.

"I am the sidekick. Oz is the driver; he's the one who gets us where we need to be. He is a master at speeding through busy traffic in order to get to our victims on time. Without him…" Toby whistled, shaking his head. "Time is really important when dealing with people who are hurt. That's half of the work, really."

"So if he doesn't get you there on time, you have no chance of treating anyone before they die?"

"Yes, you could say that." Toby admitted enthusiastically, as if the girl had just given him an insight into their job he had never considered before. "I mean, we can be the best healers in the world. It's no use if we don't get to the scene of the accident in time, right?"

"Yes." The girl was positively beaming at Oz now. "Then I was right: you are some sort of a hero."

Oz had lost the thread of the conversation the moment Toby had stepped in. What the hell was he rambling about? They were partners, he wasn't all that more important… Only after Toby nudged him in the back did he realize he was supposed to say something this time: "Eh, yes. I guess."

The other girl had turned around again and apparently listened in to the conversation more closely. "You know, I wouldn't mind you coming to my rescue when I get hurt." And with 'you' it was very clear that she meant Toby, not Oz. _"And I would be very grateful. Very."_

"Right," Toby ignored her obvious flirting and turned to Oz. "We should get going again."

"Yes," the man answered but he didn't make any attempts at leaving. _"Ask her. Ask her now."_

Toby barely managed not to smile.

"Listen," Oz started, looking down at his shoes as if he noticed them for the first time. "I would like to ask… Only if you… I mean, you don't have to. Just if…" He stuttered and was now afraid to look up. _"Toby, help!"_

"As I said before, my friend is pretty shy," Toby stepped in. " I think what he means to ask is if you would like to go for a drink one night? With him, that is?"

Slowly Oz raised his head. His heart leapt when he saw the blond laughing at him. "Of course I would like to! You know what, I'll give you my number and just give me a call when you get off work tonight. Ok?"

"Ok!" He didn't want to say too much, afraid that his voice might betray him.

"By the way," the girl said when she handed him the small note. "My name is Sheila."

And for the first time during their conversation Oz managed to reply genuinely and very much like a grown-up "Nice to meet you, Sheila. I am Oz. And I guess we'll see each other tonight then."

"See you!" And with a little wave she and her girlfriend walked away.

***************

"How is he doing, Toby?" Oz shouted from the driver's seat, keeping his eyes on the road as he swerved left to overtake the car in front. The sirens on the ambulance were whaling and most cars automatically pulled up left or right to let them pass.

"Keep the speed up. The sooner we get to the hospital the better." Toby tried to apply a fresh bandage to the man's arm, but nothing stopped the blood from gushing out of the wound.

Minutes before Toby and Oz had arrived at the scene of a shooting. Three people got hit and this guy seemed the worst. Two bullets in the chest, one in the arm. It's a wonder the man is still breathing; miraculously the bullets must have missed his heart. As he needed surgery as soon as possible they quickly inserted a catheter to give the man fluids and they tried to stem the bleeding. All their efforts however seemed to have little to no effect so they just put him in the ambulance and took off.

"How far?" Toby shouted.

"Less then two minutes!"

Toby pressed on the man's chest but the blood seeped through his fingers. Both their clothes were soaking in it, but Toby barely noticed. The bullet may have missed the heart but it must have hit a pretty big artery on its way. This man needed a blood transfusion soon.

The vision came out of nowhere. The suddenness of it slammed Toby momentarily backwards. _A young girl dancing_. Flash. _Men cheering her on_. Flash. _She seductively leans down. _Flash_. She's topless_. Flash. _Music is playing_. Flash._ Money is put in her g-string_. Flash. _Men are laughing_. Flash. _More girls, barely dressed, are moving through the crowd_. Flash.

With unfocused eyes Toby tried to reach out again. If he didn't keep the wound closed as best as he could, the man would bleed out. His hands crawled over the man's body. More feeling his way than actually seeing what he was doing, Toby put pressure on the man's chest again. At the same time he was trying to make sense of what it was he had seen.

All day his telepathy had been fine, so Toby wasn't prepared for this unexpected onslaught on his brain. Steadying his breathing he tried to focus again on the task at hand. They had arrived at the hospital without him noticing so he started slightly when someone suddenly slammed the door open.

"What have we got?" A familiar voice asked.

Toby looked up. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings and Olivia eyed him suspiciously before yelling at him again. "Toby?! What have we got?"

"Gunshot wounds: two in the heart, one in the arm. Unconscious, shallow breathing, slow hart beat." Once he got going, the words left his mouth automatically and Toby fully informed the doctor what had happened before leaving his patient in her care.

Leaning against the ambulance Toby stared after the gurney as it was pushed through the hospital doors. He ran his hand over his face. The vivid images still ran through his head. What was going on?

"Are you ok, man?" Oz stood next to him. "What's wrong?"

Toby sighed. "I got a telepathic hit from the guy."

"Oh shit," Oz exclaimed. "Anything funny?"

"You mean apart from the strange images in my mind and the weird voices I am hearing? No, I am fine." Toby answered sarcastically.

"You know what I mean. Was it anything like before? When they took you and beat you?"

"No, it was nothing like that." Toby reassured him. "It was a hit like I had before when working the job. I just wasn't prepared for it so it shook me. That's all. I'll be fine."

"What was it about?" Oz asked.

"I don't know, really." Toby stated, staring at the now closed doors in front of him, wondering whether this time he should mind his own business. But as he was still haunted by the defeated look in the young girl's eyes, he knew he wouldn't…

***************

"How is he?" Toby stood up from the uncomfortable chair in the coffe room he had occupied for some time now, when he noticed Olivia walking towards him. She looked tired.

"He's stable for now, but he lost a lot of blood. It's still touch and go. We managed to get the bullets out, but there was a fair bit of structure damaged inside." Olivia reached out for the coffee pot and filled a fresh cup. Some caffeine would help her sluggish brain to wake up again. She still had five hours before she could call it quits.

Toby studied her moves. Even now, when she had just performed a long surgery and was covered in sweat and still some blood even, she looked damn attractive.

"What are you still doing here though?" Her question shook him from his thoughts. "I thought your shift finished half an hour ago?"

"It did. I just wanted to know how he was doing." Toby hesitated a moment, his fingers tracking small patterns on the table. "Anyway, there is just an empty apartment waiting for me," he sulked.

"Oh, you poor boy," she soothed, faking sympathy. "So you decided to be the model boyfriend and keep me company while I work?"

"Hmm, I suppose," Toby said vaguely. She was staring at him over her coffee cup and he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Was she playing with him or had she been serious earlier that day about giving their relationship another chance?

"_Trying to read my mind, are you?"_

Toby stood up straight, keeping quiet. What the hell?

Olivia put her cup down. He looked so irresistibly handsome, the way he was standing there. Had it really been over a week since they last had sex? Her body was bone tired after the surgery and at the same time strangely excited. There was only one thing on her mind.

"_Are you thinking what I am thinking?"_

Toby still didn't say a word. Her eyes held a lust that he knew was reflected in his own. But he wasn't going to make the first move. Her using his telepathy for this was unbelievably arousing and he had a hard time staying where he was.

She undid her lab coat. "I need to get changed, there is still some blood on these clothes." Turning her back to him she also untied her hair and shook the long strands with her hands. She walked away, but as she opened the door to the locker room, she turned around. _"You want to help me undress?"_

Forcing himself to walk after her instead of rushing in, Toby closed the door behind him. Olivia had already taken off her coat and kicked off her shoes, her back still towards him. The locker room was cosy with its two big coaches, the small coffee table and nice posters on the wall.

Technically it was also a fairly public place as any doctor or nurse could walk in at any time. But that fact turned both of them on even more. Toby took off his own jumper and slipped out of his shoes. Finally Olivia turned around again and that was the last string braking. Her whole body screamed at him and Toby willingly answered.

They didn't even take the time to fully unclothe; perhaps a wise thing seeing as they could get caught any time. But that was not on either one's mind. Toby's hand slid underneath her blouse while she fumbled with the zipper of his pants. He pushed her skirt up. Before long they blissfully forgot everything around them.

The magic was broken with a knock on the door. "Olivia, are you in there? It's detective Marks. I need to talk to you."

"Hang on, detective. I'll be there in a minute." She pushed Toby away from her, quickly kissing him on the lips. _"Thank you!"_ She straightened her skirt and closed a few buttons on her blouse.

"You're welcome," he whispered back, pulling his jeans up and searching for his shirt. "And thank you."

Olivia smiled, slipping her feet back in her handy pumps. She grabbed a fresh coat and opened the door. "Good evening, detective. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Sure," Charlie eyed her. The doctor seemed a bit flushed. The door opened again.

"Hey Charlie, long time no see." Toby exited the locker room and walked towards the coffee machine. "You want a cup?"

"No, I am fine, thanks." The detective grinned. It wasn't hard to guess what had happened. _"You need some new energy, do you?"_

Toby gracefully smiled at her.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Olivia asked.

Charlie sobered up again. "Your colleague told me I could find you here. You treated that guy who got shot?"

"Yes, why? You know him?"

"He's a cop."


	3. Not getting involved

**Disclaimer**: see first chapter

**Author's note**: I am a bit late with this next post, but I wasn't happy with my first result. I am still a bit apprehensive about it, but I decided to post it anyway. My warning from the previous chapter still stands, so take that into consideration. Also know that this story is sligthly AU. Since we only had one season of 'The listener' the characters are not that developed yet. I did take some liberty with them, especially Toby, and some of you may not feel comfortable with how he is portrayed. However, I hope you will respect my point of view and that you trust me to make it all work in the end... ;-)

One other thing: I noticed loads of people are reading this story, a lot have even added it to their favourite list. Of course this is greatly appreciated!! But maybe you could leave a little review as well? Just to let me know if you like the story. A big thanks to those that have already!

Enjoy

* * *

3. Not getting involved

"How is he doing?" Charlie asked .

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "It's a bit hard to tell. We managed to get the bullets out, but he lost a lot of blood. He's stable for now, but the next 24 hours will be critical." The doctor stared at Charlie for a few seconds. "I cannot give you any reassurances, I'm sorry."

The detective nodded, running her hands through her hair. "Ok." The man wasn't exactly a close friend, but they got along fine and she hated loosing a good and decent cop. "Is there a chance he may wake up?"

"I honestly don't know."

"Right."

"Charlie, what's happened?" Toby interfered, sensing Charlie's distress.

The three of them were sitting in the small coffee room in the hospital. Despite her earlier rejection, Toby had given Charlie some black coffee. Absentmindedly, the detective sipped from the cup before she explained the situation.

"Well, I can't really tell you too much about what's going on. I am sure you understand: on-going investigation and all that." She rolled her eyes as if to apologize for that particular rule. "Anyway, the man went undercover a few weeks ago. We lost contact with him earlier this evening so we feared that they discovered his identity."

Charlie's voice got a strained timber. "It's very important: did he say anything when you brought him in? Anything about what happened?" She hesitated, lowering her eyes slightly embarrassed. _"Toby, this question is more meant for you?"_

The paramedic smiled at her. "Olivia knows," he said simply.

"Oh?" Charlie stared back and forth between the couple, surprised at the sudden change in their relationship. Only a week ago these two barely talked to each other and here they were having sex in the back room. And now Olivia knew about the telepathy as well? "Ok, well then…"

"I did get a hit when we brought the guy in."

This sudden confession made both women eye him suspiciously, although for different reasons.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Olivia sounded hurt. Once again he didn't trust her. "Is that why you looked so spaced out when you arrived here?"

"Liv, I… Yes, that's why I was out of it. And I didn't tell you sooner because… Well, because we had other things on our mind." He winked at her, causing her face to redden again.

Charlie impatiently interfered. "What did you see?" Their personal life was the least of her worries right now.

Toby tried to remember exactly what he had seen. "There was a girl dancing. It was in one of those topless bars, you know, where they dance for money. Music was playing and there were other girls as well, but she's the only I got to see clearly."

"What did she look like?"

"Latino girl. Black hair, shoulder length. Average height, not too small." Toby glanced at Olivia before continuing. "Nice body, quite attractive." He turned back towards the detective. "Charlie, she looked barely overage, what is going on here?"

Charlie sighed. "I don't think you should get involved. We both know what happened last time you did."

"I àm involved, whether you want me to or not. There is no way I am walking away from this one. The look in her eyes…." Toby stared in the distance. "She looked so lost."

Olivia put her hand on his arm. "Toby. You are not a police officer, ok? Let Detective Marks do her job." She honestly did not like him rushing into one of his rescue missions again.

"Do not talk to me as if I am a five-year-old, Olivia." The words came out louder than Toby had intended. The hurt look on Liv's face immediately made him regret them. Before he could react, however, Charlie spoke up again.

"She's right, Toby. We are on the case, don't worry." She stood up. "Let me know if he wakes up, will you?" The question was addressed at the doctor who nodded. Without saying another word Charlie left the room, leaving the young couple alone.

After a moment Olivia broke the silence. "I should get back to work."

"Right, and I should get home. Got a long day ahead tomorrow." Toby didn't look at her, but started walking towards the door. He felt belittled by both women.

"_Toby, please. Don't leave like this. You know what I meant."_

Ignoring her voice in his mind, he pretended that he wasn't reading her mind. Knowing how very childish he was, but not caring whatsoever he kept going without looking back.

***************

As he was walking home in the dark Toby sobered up and his anger disappeared. Olivia only cared for him. Could he blame her for being careful after what happened only last week? He did behave like a five-year-old and then got angry when they treated him as such.

He considered calling Oz to come over to have a late drink, but then he realised the Casanova was probable still on his date. Despite everything Toby grinned. After their shift Oz had had a million excuses not to call the girl and Toby ended up forming her number himself and forcing the phone into Oz's hands.

Against his better judgement Toby went to have a drink by himself. He knew he would probably regret it in the morning, but right now he didn't feel like entering a quiet building with only his guilty feelings on how he left Olivia in the hospital. Especially after the little wonderful treat she gave him.

Strolling through Main Street he passed several loud bars, none of them appealed to him. He didn't want to go to one of his local places as he wasn't in the mood of meeting anyone he knew. Suddenly he stopped at one particular venue.

He never particularly noticed this one before; its location was at the far end of the street with only some more sinister bars further down the road. For some reason the place felt familiar and while Toby pondered where the feeling came from, the door opened. Loud music greeted him and he saw a glimpse of a topless girl.

With a shock he realised this was the place the cop in the hospital had thought about. Not thinking too far ahead, Toby pushed the door open and entered the rather dark place. Inside his senses were overloaded with the music, the lights and the crowd. He actually had to grab the doorpost and steady himself. His head was filled with his surroundings. Literally.

Not knowing whether this was normal for everyone or if this had anything to do with his telepathy, Toby continued when he had managed to put up his mental barriers as best as he could and the noise had somewhat settled.

"A beer," he gestured to the barman who gave him a nod.

Looking around Toby noticed several girls swerving through the crowd, laughing and batting their eyes at everyone who paid them any attention. Some were carrying drinks, others were taking orders and taking their time in doing so. All were very obviously flirting with the clientele. None of the waitresses were wearing more than a pair of hotpants.

The paramedic turned back towards the bar. The moment he sat down, a petite brunette came sitting next to him.

"What can you offer a lady?" She asked challengingly, looking him straight in the eyes. _"Damn, those eyes alone could make me go down on my knees!"_

"A drink perhaps?" Toby played along for now, taking advantage of her interest in him. He hadn't seen any dancing girls in this place; maybe this woman could help him out. "What would the lady like?"

The girl smiled, happy that she landed herself a very good-looking man for the evening. Her intentions were quite clear. Toby grinned back at her, sipping from his beer. She leaned over the bar and winked at the barman. "My usual, Johnny."

"So," Toby continued. "Does the lady have a name?"

"Valerie, but you can call me Val," she answered, putting her hand on his knee. The barman handed her a fancy looking drink. "Thanks Johnny." The liquid was of a soft red colour and did look very tasty indeed. Valerie tentatively sipped from the glass.

"And you? Does the stranger have a name as well?"

"Toby. But you can call me Toby."

Her eyes glittered with controlled mirth. "The man is funny." _"Not to mention drop dead gorgeous."_ She inched a bit closer to his chair; Toby pretended not to notice. "You don't come here often, right? I've never seen you before."

"It's my first time."

"Is it now?" More twinkles in her eyes. "A virgin, so to speak then?"

"I suppose. Maybe you could show me the place?"

Valerie now laughed out loud, sliding her hand higher on his thigh. "Who knows? If you are a good boy, I could show you a lot more than that." If there had been any doubt about what she had in mind, it had vanished with those words.

Toby realised he had to be careful. Things were moving a bit too quickly for his liking. He hadn't lied about it being his first time in a place like this. Of course in every bar there were girls flirting and looking for a one-night-stand, but at least those girls were dressed a bit more and there were more hidden looks and hesitant small talk before things moved on. Here they seemed to skip that particular step; things were very straightforward.

"Why don't we have another drink first?" He signalled the barman back. "Do you want the same?"

Her cocktail wasn't empty yet, but she nodded enthusiastically nonetheless. Draining the rest of her glass she studied him a bit more. Toby took advantage of her momentary silence to have another look around. In the corner at the end of the bar he noticed a door he hadn't seen before.

Instead of an actual door, there were only heavy purple and red strings hanging in front of the opening. Through it more lights seemed to be coming. That was probably where the dancing was happening. A bodyguard next to the door indicated that you probably couldn't enter freely.

A hand near his crotch made Toby turn around again suddenly. The girl had put her chair even closer and now he could no longer avoid her legs touching his without being rude. Her warm thighs against his made him uncomfortable. His body betrayed him though, as he could feel it getting turned on by the girl sitting next to him. Her bare breasts so close to him didn't help either.

"I took the liberty of ordering something better for you." She pointed at the drink on the bar in front of him.

Toby picked up the drink. It was slightly darker than hers. "What is it?"

"The male version of my cocktail." Her answer wasn't revealing at all. She raised her glass to toast. "To your first time."

The paramedic raised his glass as well. Without saying anything more he took a sip. He nodded his head after swallowing the liquid and looked at the woman who laughed at him. "It's not bad."

"And it's definitely better than the beer you had before."

"Stronger too." In fact the drink was very strong. The taste was deceptively sweet and Toby knew that one didn't need to drink very much of whatever this stuff was to get drunk.

"Anyway, what brings you to this place on this fine evening?" Now that she managed to get this close, she apparently thought she might as well get to know him a bit better.

"I needed a drink." The answer came out before he realised it had been the wrong thing to say.

Valerie eyed him even more closely. "Problems?" She pushed on.

"Mmm…." Toby could hit himself. Her playing with his guilt was the last thing he needed. "Not really, I just wanted some time by myself." God, he was making this worse!

"You came to the right place, then. I can give you all you want." _"And I would even do it for free, nice chap like you."_ She was basically undressing him with her eyes.

"No, I am not… No, it's..." Toby drank some more, thinking how he could turn this conversation back to the reason why he really was here. "I … eh…. I thought this was more like… You know… Dancing." Good thing the place was fairly dark because he was sure his face turned quite red. How obvious could he be?

The woman hesitated a few seconds, studying his face. "This place has a lot to offer," she said vaguely.

"Really?" Toby emptied his drink and finally dared looking back at her. "And where is that?"

Valerie waved her finger in front of him. "And here I thought you were a shy guy!" She laughed flirtingly. "You can book a dancer if you want to. That's more private, not in the bar like this." Her gaze drifted towards the door with the strings._ "How hot would it be to dance for this guy?!"_

"And can I book you then?" Toby decided he had to play this girl a bit more if he ever wanted to get in. He let his hand slide over her arm.

She took the hint and leaned in even closer. There was no avoiding her now, she nearly sat in his lap. "I normally work in the bar and," she gave him a seductive smile. "You know, 'behind' the bar. But for really good customers I can make an exception. Nick doesn't mind me dancing every now and then."

"Nick?"

"My boss, don't worry about him. You know what?" She sat back again. "Why don't we have a last drink and then I'll see what I can do?"

More alcohol was the least thing he needed right now, but he was so close. He only wanted to have a look behind the curtain. Once he knew what was going on he could always back out, saying he changed his mind. Toby smiled at Valerie, ordering two more of the funky drinks and for the first time allowing himself to look at her breasts. She had nice curves.


	4. Too much to drink

**Disclaimer**: see first chapter.

**Author's note**: I am so very sorry for not updating sooner!! Life has been… Well, hectic would be the only appropriate word. I haven't been able to write very much at all, so the story still is not finished. This chapter is slightly shorter than what you are used to, but I didn't want to let you wait any longer. It also the right place to end this chapter. ;-)

I want to add that my warning in previous chapters still stands. Toby is not having the best time of his life and there are sexual references, although nothing explicit. Keep that in mind though and don't read any further if you are offended by this. Please, let me know what you think and forgive me for my extremely late update.

Enjoy!

* * *

4. Too much to drink

Halfway through Toby's fourth cocktail, Valerie disappeared for a few minutes, trying to arrange a personal dance for him. The alcohol had done its job and Toby felt lightheaded. He was angry with himself for letting it get this far, but the conversation had become more interesting as the evening went on. Although that was probably linked with the amount of alcohol as well.

Shoving the rest of his drink away he tried to reorganize his thoughts. He should have known better: alcohol made his mental blockages harder and at the moment Toby had a hard time focussing. While talking with the woman he had easily managed to concentrate on her, but now that she had left, everyone else's mind seemed to scream for his attention.

The barman took his drink away and replaced it with the check. Great! Toby took some bills from his wallet and put them on the bar. This was going to be a very expensive evening. He also forgot to ask exactly how much such a private dance cost.

Out of nowhere Valerie showed up in front of him again. Despite her five drinks she looked barely affected by the alcohol. The 'female' version of the cocktail must contain considerably less alcohol.

"You're one lucky guy," she mewed coyly. "Nick agreed to a half hour dance in the back. Come." She took his hand and directed him through the crowd towards the back. Winking at the bodyguard she pushed the strings aside and dragged him in the second room.

Nearly at the end, in front of a small podium, she indicated a comfortable looking armchair. "Just sit down. I need to get changed, but I'll be back in five minutes."

As he sat down Toby had a look around. Music was also playing in here as well, although it was in a way more danceable. All together there were about ten small podia with an armchair like his in front of it. The soft blue lights around each podium gave it a fake impression of intimacy.

On a few stages a naked girl was dancing. All of them were Latina's but none looked like the girl he had seen in the cop's mind. They were seductively twisting their bodies around a pole or just crawling on the podium towards the men in front of it who occasionally grabbed a boob or hit their ass.

All the women appeared to be fairly young, but none seemed as young as the one he was looking for. One of them now stepped off the stage and took her man out of yet another door in the corner. Toby didn't have to think too long where those two were going. Apparently the whole place was a lot bigger than he had given it credit for.

Valerie suddenly appeared out of a small door that led, Toby assumed, to some sort of changing room. She wore slightly more than before in that sense that she now had a tiny teeny bikini to cover her breasts. A g-string that barely hid anything, covered with a see-through parero, had replaced the hotpants. Despite his earlier intentions of leaving as soon as possible, he stayed in his seat and couldn't keep his eyes off the nearly naked body that had now climbed onto the little podium.

The slowly twisting and turning naked body had Toby mesmerized. The attractive sight in front of him mingled with the alcohol that clouded his brain and made his blood pump quicker. While dancing Valerie stripped off the little clothing she was wearing and before long only a small piece of fabric was hiding her most private parts.

From the moment she had walked in Toby had failed to block out her thoughts. And her vivid images of the things she had in mind did little to aid him in his intentions to leave. Every coherent thought in his mind screamed at him to walk out right now. But the primal instincts in his body were screamer louder.

***************

A soft shake woke him up. A hand was caressing his chest. Groggily Toby tried to sit up, but the throbbing pain in his head made him rethink that. He grunted and closed his eyes again. What the hell…?

"Toby? Come on, you should go." The female voice sounded vaguely familiar but Toby couldn't place it. _"Come on dude, Nick will kill me."_

Nick? Slowly the memories came back. The topless bar, the loud music, the dancing. Valerie! Suddenly very clear-headed Toby sat up straight, looking around the dark room. He didn't remember entering this place. How did he get here?

"Valerie?" He asked, turning around to see the brunette smiling sadly at him. She hadn't bothered putting on any clothes, although her lower half was a bit covered by the sheets. Leaning against the bedpost behind her, she reached out for his arm again.

"You should go now," she insisted softly.

"How did I end up here? I don't…" Toby shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs of his terrible hangover. "I can't remember how… Last thing I know is you dancing."

The woman nodded. "You seemed to be enjoying the show. So was I. After that half hour we came up here but you were pretty wasted." _"Who would have know a guy like you can't hold his liquor."_ "We eh… We tried, but you passed out about half way through… you know."

Valerie sighed. Earlier that evening she had been so pleased with herself and the handsome fling she had landed, but this ending was quite anti-climactic. Not what she had had in mind at all.

"Right," Toby answered. He had only just noticed that he wasn't wearing his shirt anymore and his pants were unzipped. Strangely embarrassed about his half nudity he scrambled for his shirt and put it back on. "Look, sorry about all this."

"Yeah, me too," Valerie said, not standing up from where she was lying on the bed.

"So we didn't…" Toby waved his hands around over the bed. "You know… We didn't sleep together, did we?"

"No." The woman's disappointed look was enough prove that she wasn't lying. _"I wish."_

"How long was I out?"

"A few hours. I couldn't immediately wake you up, so I decided to just let you sleep a while to sober up a bit. But it's getting late and Nick will be wondering where I am."

"Ok, sorry again. I didn't mean to pass out like that." Inwardly Toby was immensely grateful for it. She had been right about his poor drinking abilities. He usually stuck with a few beers as he had figured out the hard way that his telepathy didn't agree with him being drunk.

Valerie gave him a small smile and her eyes lit up again. "You know, it wasn't a complete waste of time. I managed to keep myself busy." Her hand reached down her body, underneath the sheets, and she batted her eyelids. "You are nice to look at when you sleep." _"Quite a turn-on."_

The images she was sending him left nothing to his imagination. Trying to block out the sexual flashes, Toby quickly tied up his shoes. "Thanks for the dance." It was all he could say before nearly running out of the room, leaving the naked woman on the bed to her own fantasies.

***************

The moment he entered the hallway he managed to push Valerie's thoughts to the back of his mind. His head was still spinning and his own thoughts were far from coherent. The walls around him seemed to be moving. Toby berated himself. He never got drunk, never.

He didn't recognise the place at all so he just stumbled down some stairs in what he could only hope was the exit. This part of the house looked quite run-down, not as flashy as the bar downstairs. It also smelled old and dusty.

"Where are you going?" A booming voice came through an open door and stopped Toby in his tracks.

A large, slightly overweight man walked into the hall and looked the paramedic up and down. _"Is that the guy Val picked up?"_ Flash. Toby grunted. More foreign thoughts were the last thing he needed right now.

"Answer! What are you doing here?"

"Valerie." It was the only word Toby could form, but the man seemed to understand.

"Yeah, right. Looks like you had too good a time." The man's voice was laced with sarcasm. "But you know, good times don't come for free. You kept one of my best workers busy for a whole evening. I hope you brought a few big notes in your wallet."

Toby, still leaning against the wall, reached for his wallet. The killer headache now caused his vision to blur. He hands clumsily searched for the right bills.

The man kept studying him. "Your first time?" It was more of a statement than a true question. "Yes, my Valerie sure knows how to loosen a guy up." He laughed.

Loosing his last holds on his telepathy Toby just shoved whatever notes were in his wallet into the man's hands and left the heavy guy behind. He had to get out. His head was about to explode.

"First right!" The man shouted after him.

Heading the man's instructions Toby turned right at the next corner. He recognised the blue lights that spilled through an open door at the end of the corridor. Taking a deep breath the young man tried to walk up straighter, ignoring his pounding head the best he could.

Out of nowhere a girl suddenly ran into the hall, bumping into Toby, causing both of them to stumble against the wall.

"Oh sorry!" A frightened looking girl tried to steady herself again, pulling away from his grasp. "I didn't meant to… I am so sorry!"

"It's ok," Toby whispered. It was all he could say for her thoughts rushed into his brain. He closed his eyes.

_A man screaming_. Flash. _The girl crying_. Flash. _The cop from the hospital_. Flash. _A man beating the girl_. Flash. _"Don't try that again!"_ Flash. _The cop getting beaten_ _up_. Flash. _The girl running towards the cop_. Flash. _"Don't! You'll kill him."_ Flash. _"Get away!"_ Flash. _Someone grabbing the crying girl and dragging her away_. Flash.

From far away Toby could hear someone yelling at him. He wasn't quite sure whether the voice was from the present. Forcing his eyelids open again, Toby's eyes fell upon the woman. She was the young Latino girl, the reason he entered this hellhole in the first place. Her haunted eyes once again filled his mind.

A rough shake made Toby look up. "What do you think you're doing?!?" A fairly handsome brown haired man looked furiously at him. Dark eyes bore into Toby's bright blue ones. Unconsciously Toby glanced sideways at the girl, but the dark man tightened his grip on Toby's shoulder.

"Hey! What do you want?"

Toby wanted to answer, but truth be told he had reached the end of his powers. The remnants of the alcohol and the full-blown hangover had already cost him a lot of strength to keep his mental barriers in place. Only minutes before, with the heavy man, he had lost that last blockage. The stress and fear radiating from the girl and the anger from the man now completely shattered whatever coherent thought that had remained. Right now Toby's head was exploding. Chaos reigned and nothing made any sense.

He had had his fair share of loosing control, but right now the paramedic could barely remember his own name. It seemed nothing inside his head was his own anymore. He needed to leave but even that thought didn't feel right.

Toby's legs gave way and he fell hard on his knees. Not prepared for the sudden collapse of the other guy, the man holding his shoulder let go. Falling forwards, Toby caught himself on his hands.

"What's wrong with you, dude?" The hard voice added to the psychological pain and Toby covered his ears with his hands, curling over his knees. His breathing got harder, reality slipped away. The last thing he felt, was a rough hand shaking his shoulders before everything turned black.


	5. Waking up

**Disclaimer**: see first chapter.

**Author's note**: My deepest apologies for not updating in such a long time! Life got in the way, my writing got pushed to the background and I just didn't manage to get back into it. I am so sorry. The story is still not finished, so I can not promise you regular updates from now on. But I kept getting a lovely review every now and then and I just knew I had to continue writing for you guys out there! Thank you so much!

So here's the next chapter that I hope you will enjoy. I am not all that pleased with it, but I thought I should not wait any longer before sharing it with you. It may be a bit confusing, maybe not. However, things will get clearer as we go along. Please let me know what you think, constructing reviews are very welcome.  
Once again sorry for the delay, but rest assured that I haven't forgotten about it. Unfortunately, writing can't be my top priority right now, so it's sometimes hard to find a spare moment (with some inspiration) to keep going…

Enjoy!

* * *

5. Waking up

The first thing Toby realised when he woke up, were soft hands brushing the side of his face. With it came a pleasant voice that seemed to be singing something. Singing? The paramedic slowly opened his eyelids and was once again struck with those stunningly dark and haunted eyes. The song wasn't familiar at all but it sounded Spanish.

"Where am I?" His whispered question stopped the girl from singing. She didn't answer but kept stroking his face. "Who are you?" Toby tried to sit up.

"Shh, Quiet." The girl pushed him back into some sort of coach on which he was laying. "My name is Maribel." She had a strong hispanic accent, but her voice held a gentle tone to it.

"Where am I?" Toby asked again. He ignored the woman's attempts at keeping him down. He sat up, only to grab his head in pain. Apparently he hadn't been out long enough for the hangover to completely disappear. "How long was I out?"

Maribel studied him for a while. "About half hour. What happened?"

"I am a poor drinker," Toby shrugged.

The Spanish lady frowned at that answer but didn't push the matter any further. "Well, we didn't know what was wrong. I told Andre he call ambulance, but he mad. He put you here, then go talk with Nick. He come back but you still not ok. Told me to take care of you and tell him when you ok."

Her English wasn't perfect, but Toby got the idea. He also realised that he was in trouble. Obviously there was something illegal going on in this place and that's why no one called a doctor when he fainted. This Andre guy must have noticed that Toby recognised Maribel and since they had discovered an undercover cop earlier, they couldn't take any chances with him.

Knowing this was probably his only chance to talk to the girl in private, Toby said: "I am here to help you. There was a cop here earlier; I am working with him."

The blatant lie caused to girl to widen her eyes. She glanced at the door with a fearful look. "Shh! Don't speak! Andre come."

"Look, what is going on here? What did my colleague discover that was so bad they nearly beat him to death?"

Maribel clasped her hands in front of her mouth. "He dead?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "No! Es mi falta!" She kept whimpering in Spanish, saying it was her fault.

Toby tried to reassure her. They didn't have time for this. "No, he's not dead yet, but he's bad. Tell me, Maribel, tell me what is going so I can help you."

"No, no help. Dangerous." Her English got worse as the young woman got more and more upset.

The telepath awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder in a faint attempt at consoling the Latina. At the same time though his mind was racing. He had to get the both of them out of here; or he had to at least try and contact Charlie. "Maribel, please. Tell me how to get out of here."

She turned her big dark eyes towards him, tears were streaming down her face. "You go. I cannot. Andre promised me help with visa." She shrugged. "Said I will be put out of country if I go with police."

The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. Somehow this place was into human trafficking. Smuggling women from some South-American country into Canada. That's probably what the undercover cop had found out as well. It still didn't explain why he didn't just report back to the office and got the hell out of dodge. Maybe they caught him before he got the chance.

Toby tried to stand up, but he had overestimated his own powers. His legs gave way and he fell back down onto the coach. Maribel wiped the tears from her eyes and went back to pushing him down. "You lay down. Nick mad when he see you not ok."

"Nick will be mad whether I am ok or not." The paramedic said. He looked around. The only way out seemed to be through the door, but there was no telling what was behind it. He needed the Spanish girl's help in this labyrinth. "Look, I promise I will help you, I will not let anything happen to you. But right now our first priority is to go!"

Maribel shook her head sadly. "Tom would help me. And he dead!" She nearly started crying again, but managed to pull herself together again. Noticing that no matter what she said or did, Toby wasn't going to just lay still. So she gave up and tried to fix herself up a bit. She went to a mirror and started brushing her hair with her hands.

"He's not dead." Toby repeated desperately. "I can take you to him if you want." He didn't have a clue about what the girl wanted. However he was afraid to find out. When he had come around moments earlier, his gift seemed a bit more stable. His mind was no longer spinning out of control, but he could feel that it only needed a little push. He just couldn't risk any mind reading right now.

The Latina shook her head. "Better not. He stay away from me. It's not safe."

"Correct me if I am wrong, but you don't seem to be very safe here either."

"You do not know!" Her voice became angry. "They give me food and bed. At home I live on street."

"And this is better? They make you dance in front of old men; have sex with them!" Toby couldn't understand why she was defending the guys who were only exploiting her. "How long have you been here? What exactly did they promise you?"

Maribel turned around, tears blinking in her eyes again. "You not understand. Keep voice down!"

Before Toby could reply the door went open. The brown haired man from before entered and looked back and forth between the paramedic and the Hispanic girl. "So, what's going on here? What happened before in the hallway?"

"I passed out. Sorry, had a bit too much to drink." Toby decided to play the rule of a stupid drunk a bit longer. "Anyway, thanks for helping me out here, but I should get going. People will wonder were I'll be." He grinned silly, hoping he didn't overplay his act.

"You seem to sober up fairly quickly then," the tall man looked sceptical. "I mean, you were pretty out of it out there. Basically fell flat on your face. And here you are, sitting upright as if nothing happened."

The telepath shrugged. "What can I say? I don't drink often. I did this time and I passed out. I may look ok to you right now, but I am telling you: my head feels like it's been hit with a sledgehammer." That was actually not too far from the truth.

"Do you know this girl?" The question came out of the blue and Toby's brain needed a moment to register the sudden change of subject.

"What?"

"Maribel. Do you know her?" The voice became impatient. "In the hallway you looked at her as if you have seen her before."

Toby realised he had to be careful. He glanced at the girl who stood quietly in the corner of the room, seemingly trying to disappear altogether. "No. Never seen her before." He looked back at the guy in front of him. "Good looking though," he added, hoping this would be good enough an explanation to ease the man's mind.

The guy nodded, but still didn't seemed completely convinced. "What did you say your name was again."

"I am Toby. And you are?" Toby actually reached out to shake the man's hand.

"And what do you do?" The brown haired man ignored his hand.

A few seconds passed before Toby answered. He wasn't sure if telling the truth was the best idea here. As a paramedic you are in touch with cops all the time, this strange man was bound to know that. "I am an accountant actually," he answered. "I work downtown at Guerin's." It was the name of an accountant agency he had heard Ray mention before.

"Right." The hesitation hadn't gone unnoticed. "And what does an upstate accountant look for in a place like this?"

"You know," Toby shrugged. "We all need to get out every once in while. Get rid of the stress and the pressure, you know." The telepath felt that somehow the man knew he was lying. He had to get out. "Look, this conversation we are having here is nice and all. But I really should get going."

In fact, trying hard not to give too much away and sound casual, while at the same time keeping his mind under control was wrecking havoc on his mental stability. Toby was getting light headed again.

All of a sudden Nick entered. A wave of anger radiated over Toby and he knew he was in trouble even before the man uttered a word. "What are you doing here?" _God damned, this is getting out of control! Were do they all come from? Someone ratted me out!_

The voice boomed in the small room and the heavy man came to stand right in front of Toby. The telepath blinked his eyes in an effort to clear his head from the invading thoughts. "What are you talking about?" He managed to say.

"You know what I am talking about. Someone heard you at the hospital asking about that other guy!" The voice grew ever louder. "Didn't you get the message? Was what we did to your friend not clear enough for you to realise to stay away?!"

The conversation was getting hard for Toby to understand. Hospital? Friend? Did they mean Charlie? "What?" He asked again.

Nick grinned cruelly. _Idiot_. "Clearly the message wasn't understood then." _You nice rich guys trying to 'help' these girls_. "You all need to stay away, ok? You are not welcome here." He articulated every syllable as if he was talking to a child. "These girls have a lovely place to live and a roof above their head. Isn't that right?" The last question was directed at Maribel, who seemed too shocked to answer.

Toby was wondering if his mind had completely betrayed him. It seemed like these two didn't know the guy in the hospital was a cop? "I don't know anyone in the hospital," the paramedic lied. "I swear. Please, just let me get out. My friends will get worried."

Suddenly Maribel walked over to the men. "I do not know him, he says truth. Let him go, please." She begged the heavy man, pleading with her big dark eyes.

Nick shoved her out of the way though. "Go back to your room. I will deal with you later!" _Bitch! How did she manage to alert these guys? _

Instinctively Toby reacted to the brutal treatment of the woman. "Hey! Easy. Leave her be." Without his mental control, his body relied on its instincts. And Toby's instincts could never abandon a damsel in distress. So he jumped to her rescue without thinking and stood in front of her before Nick could give her another good push.

A few moments passed before either man realised what had happened, but Nick reacted the fastest. "What do you think you're doing?" The tone became dark, dangerous. _Who is this guy?_ "Get out of the way!" _I'll teach that Spanish good-for-nothing to keep her mouth shut_.

"No!" Somewhere in his brain a part was screaming at Toby to just shut up. But that particular part wasn't strong enough to override the mental chaos in his mind. Still suffering from his earlier collapse and dealing with the effects of a huge hangover, Toby's mind just couldn't handle anything else. He had lost any sense of what exactly was going on some time ago and his body only reacted instinctively to the situation at hand. "Leave the girl alone."

Nick's face turned an even darker shade of red. Frustration and anger were washing over Toby, only adding more distress to his already suffering brain. Keeping his eyes focused and trying to stay upright were about the only things he could do.

"I deal with my girls the way I see fit, understand?!" Nick clearly was a guy who wasn't used to being talked back to. Things went the way he wanted them to go and this strange man in front of him was annoying him to no end. Strangely enough he couldn't even explain what it was exactly, but there was something not right about this stranger. _What the hell did Maribel tell him?_

"She didn't tell me anything." The moment the words came out of his mouth, Toby realised he had answered to a question that hadn't been asked out loud. Nick stared at him, not sure if he had heard correctly.

"What did you say?"

Scared of adding more fuel to an already unstoppable fire Toby remained quiet.

"How did you know…?" The club owner fell over his words. "Why did you say…? Who the hell are you?!" His voice was softer, but in a weird way it sounded more dangerous than ever. _You can read my mind?_

Even the thought sounded unsure, but Toby unconsciously dropped his gaze, thus only admitting what Nick couldn't even begin to comprehend. _How? Holy crap!_

For a few seconds the silence in the room was deafening. Toby's mind was racing, suddenly very capable of forming coherent thoughts. What had he done? How could he let this get so out of hand? Ray had always warned him about not letting other people notice his ability. Oz was ok, and Olivia and Charlie. But this guy?

Suddenly his mind was bombarded with flashes and images. _No thinking_. Flash. _Girls coming out of a van_. Flash. _No, stop thinking!_ Flash. _Dancing_. _Music_. Flash. _"You will get a visa. First you have to work for us a bit, to pay for it."_ Flash. _Naked girls on stage_. Flash. _No more thoughts!_ Flash. _A man beating a girl_. Flash. _Screaming_. Flash. _Don't think about it!_ Flash. _The cop getting beaten up_. Flash. _Crying_.

Too much! There was just too much in his head! The more Nick was trying not to think about anything, the more thoughts actually flooded into Toby's brain. They mingled with his own memories of that night. The drinking, the dancing, Valerie. Olivia in the locker room.

The telepath lost his last grip on reality. For the past hour he had tried very hard to gather his thoughts, to re-strengthen his barriers, to block out other thoughts. But he wasn't prepared for this major onslaught. When he had realised his secret had been discovered he had momentarily let his guard down, too taken back that he had slipped up, and right now he couldn't deal with the unwanted attack.

Barely keeping from screaming out in pain, Toby grabbed his head. His legs started to give way and for the second time that morning the young man fell hard on his knees. This time he didn't manage to catch himself on his hands as he had passed out before he even hit the ground.


	6. Some questions answered

**Disclaimer**: see first chapter.

**Author's note**: Once again I have to start with an apology. This update is way overdue. It warms my heart to see that I still receive reviews for this story. They urge me on to continue since you all deserve to read the rest of the story.

It actually turns out a lot longer than I intended to when I started this all those months ago. Inspiration is a weird thing and it can take you just about anywhere. When I force myself behind my laptop to write another chapter it's amazing what pops in my head sometimes. Trust me: about 95% is rubbish, but still… ;-) This story twisted in a different direction than my original idea, but I decided to go with it. I hope you will keep joining me on that road…

Enjoy!

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6. Some questions answered

Charlie sighed. She sat behind her desk at the police station, staring at her computer screen without actually reading what was on it. Her thoughts drifted back to a couple of hours ago. Olivia had called to let her know that her patient had woken up.

*** 3 hours ago ***

"Can you tell me what happened next?" The female officer eyed the cop in the bed suspiciously. She got the strange feeling this guy was hiding something from her. His story seemed a tad bit too rehearsed.

From his earlier reports she already knew more or less what the undercover operation had led to. The bar was a set-up for human trafficking. It had been under police surveillance for a while before they decided to let an undercover agent enter the place. The only thing they needed was hard proof of their suspicions.

So far Tom had done a great job at getting in, playing the part of bartender and occasionally doorman. Slowly working his way deeper into the circle of confidents. He had figured out how the women were smuggled in, how they were promised valid papers to stay in the country. In return the women were asked to 'work' a bit to pay off their debts for the transport and paperwork.

Classic story really, Charlie thought. Women with no future in their own country were all too willing to believe some exotic stranger promising them a perfect apple pie life. They walked in a trap with their eyes open, not realising what they were signing up for. Hell, some women actually defended those guys that prostituted them. The reason behind that thought Charlie would never understand.

However, everything Tom had explained over the past half hour was old news really. It didn't explain how he ended up in the hospital. "Tom, tell me. What did they do to you next?"

The agent shrugged. "I guess I must have slipped up at some point, I really don't know. All I remember is all of sudden they are taking me out in this alley, beating the crap out of me. Someone must have figured out who I really am."

There was more to his story. Ever police instinct in her body told Charlie that Tom was withholding information. She was determined to figure out what it was, but at that point Olivia had walked in, gently reminding her that her patient needed rest.

*** now ***

Her fingers drummed on the table. So lost in thought she was that Charlie didn't even register her boss entering until he was standing right in front of her, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh…" She sat up straight, picking up a few odd papers and trying to look as if she was busy working on the case. "Sir, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

Becker smiled. "Don't worry about it, Marks. What did you find out from Tom?"

In a few minutes the detective told him what Tom had told her, but the superior officer sensed that there was more she wasn't telling him. "What is it? There is something else."

Charlie hesitated. Yes, she had her doubts, but she wasn't sure she should tell Becker about them. After all, Tom Simmons was known to be an excellent cop. You had to earn the right to go undercover and although she didn't know the agent very well, she did hear the stories. Agent Simmons was almost the perfect guy. So to blatantly go and accuse him of lying was not something Charlie was willing to do without proper proof.

And still. The guy had not been telling her the truth, every instinct in her body told her that. She could not explain why, but there was more to the story. Charlie felt her boss's eyes staring suspiciously at her. "Charlie?"

She looked and decided then and there that she would keep her thoughts to herself until she figured out some more. "It's nothing, Sir. Just this case, it seems to be bigger than we thought."

Satisfied with her answer, Becker nodded. "Human trafficking on a large scale. Who would have thought it possible here in Toronto?"

Charlie gave him a little smile. "What next, Sir? What do you want me to do?"

"We need more information, hard proof. Our undercover mission is blown, they probably know we are watching them, so they will be even more on guard." Becker pulled his hand through his hair, thinking out loud about their move. "No way we can get another agent in, it's too risky. But we have to act fast before they move the women to another location."

While listening to her boss Charlie was doing some thinking of her own. An idea was forming in her head. A risky one, but probably the only shot they had. "And what if I go in?"

"Eh, what?" Becker refocused on her. He had apparently forgotten that she was still in the same room and did not really comprehend was she was saying.

"What if I go in, Sir? Undercover I mean?" As she said it, the thought actually scared her a bit. She had never gone undercover and she wasn't sure she knew enough about the case to actually go forth with it. " I could try to get a job there, as one of those girls. Maybe I can get more information from their side of the story. Maybe they will open up to another woman?"

Becker found himself considering her proposal. The move was risky, they didn't have time to plan a whole operation, but right now he was out of options. But still… "I cannot ask you to do that, Marks. It's too dangerous. We would go in half blind, I don't have the time to organize a full undercover."

"We have to act now, Sir." She was convincing herself as much as she was trying to convince Becker. She still wasn't sure, but Charlie could not turn her back on this mission. Strange as it may sound, Charlie felt somewhat responsible for those women now. If she didn't do anything, those women were lost. Of that Charlie was certain. And she was not about to let that happen. And there was still Tom Simmons who didn't quite fit into the puzzle yet.

"I have read all the reports from agent Simmons, I know who's in charge and who I could manipulate a bit. All I need to do is get more information and as soon as we have enough to put them behind bars, I'm out."

"Have you got any idea what you are getting yourself into, Marks?"

"Not really, Sir," Charlie said. "But if we don't do anything those women are damned."

Slowly waking up the first thing Toby noticed when he opened his eyes was the darkness. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and immediately regretted that action as bright flashes danced in front of his eyes. Closing them again tightly, the paramedic breathed in and out deeply. What had happened?

He tried to rub his eyes and only then did he realize that his hands were bound behind his back. A jolt of panic washed over him. Where was he? The darkness around him didn't give away any answers as to where he might be. Thinking back Toby managed to put the pieces together. His run in with Maribel and Andre. His passing out in the hallway. The strange things that were going on in this place. Human smuggling.

And then, as a bolt of lighting, did he remember the last thing before he had passed out again. Nick had found out about his gift. Of all the things that had happened to him that scared him more than anything. Nobody had ever figured out his secret.

In all his years on the street, in his training with Ray, in his every day life, there was one thing that the young paramedic had been reminded off over and over again: nobody could ever find out about him. People who didn't understand it, would simply freak out. People who were curious, would lock him up as a guinea pig. And people who were dangerous, could do just about anything. And Toby knew that Nick belonged in that last category.

He had to get out of here. Desperately trying to undo his bonds, his eyes pierced the darkness around him. No window, no crack in the wall, however, gave him any help in seeing the things around him. After a few minutes of fruitless struggling Toby had only managed to get his wrists bloody from the rough cords around them. There was no slack in the rope, no chance of slipping out of them and no way of finding anything to cut them. All he could do was wait. Wait for the inevitable.

Toby tried to get his panic attack under control. The one lucky thing about him being locked up in this place was the fact that he was alone. His mind was thankful for the short reprieve. The mental barriers restored themselves in his brain although everything was still a mess. There was no way of filtering through it all so he just pushed it to the back of his mind.

The telepath had learned a lot about his gift in these last few years and he also knew that it was no science. Two and two didn't equal four. The assaults on his brain earlier this day had wrecked havoc on his system. Although the images and thoughts themselves were gone, the results were still very present. And try as he may, he could not put up the barriers in his mind again. They were scattered and useless, no matter what exercise he tried.

Closing his eyes again, Toby tried to relax as much as at least his body would let him. Hopefully his brain would somehow calm down and restore miraculously on its own. He sighed, knowing what a ludicrous idea that was.

He didn't know how long he'd been out before and how long they were planning on leaving him here alone. After what felt like only minutes, however, the door opened and he had to squint his eyes against the unexpected bright light.

"Well well," a strong voice said. "Our little accountant has woken up."

It took Toby a few seconds to remember that he had told Andre he was an accountant. "Yeah, the hangover got back to me." The paramedic was tired of playing these silly acts, but right now that felt like the only thing he could actually control.

Andre smiled cynically. _"Quit pretending. Nick told me what you are."_

'Great', Toby thought. 'This keeps getting better and better.' He didn't outwardly react to the man's thoughts though and kept silent.

"That little trick of yours could come in so very handy," the dark-eyed man said, pacing back and forth in the small room. "A mindreader, who would think such a thing existed? Must be amazing to look into one's mind." He stared at the bound man on the ground intensely, thoughts running through his head. "_You can read every thought."_ Flash. "_No secrets."_ Flash. _"Know everything."_ Flash. _"No one can lie."_ Flash.

The paramedic struggled in his bonds once again. The endless ideas of the guy in front of him were torturing his brain. "What do you want from me?" He figured talking to the guy was immensely easier than dealing with his racing thoughts.

Andre cocked his head. "We're not sure yet, really. But you'll find out soon enough." He turned to leave.

"I will never work with you," Toby said defiantly. "Never. No matter what you do to me."

The tall man studied him for an instant. "You know what? I actually believe you wouldn't. Then again, there are ways to make someone do what you want." His grin turned dark. "You should have stayed out of our business, pretty boy. We don't play nice in here."

Both men nearly jumped when a cell phone started to ring. Andre picked up and turned around. The call barely lasted a minute. Signalling to a few men in the hallway he ordered them to 'take the prisoner and bring him to Nick'.

Rough hands grabbed Toby around the shoulders and pulled him upright. The telepath's first thought was to break free, but he immediately realised that was probably the worst idea he ever had since he barely had the strength to put one foot in front of the other.

"_Don't try anything. You'll regret it."_

"Where's Maribel?" Toby tried to get the conversation going again, only to avoid having to deal with too many thoughts around him. His mental barriers were not just scattered, it was as if they had never ever existed.

"Don't worry your pretty head about her. She's been taken care of."

Toby didn't dare to ask what that meant.

The group stopped in front of Nick's door and as soon as Andre knocked they entered the big room. Nick was sitting in his chair behind a huge desk and for a split second he reminded Toby of a mafia boss, the ones you see in movies with black glasses and big smiles, pretending to be everyone's friend until something didn't go quite as planned. Right now Nick was still smiling.

"Welcome," he said as if he had invited Toby over for drink at his place. Ordering the other men to leave, only him, Andre and the paramedic were left. Toby swayed on his feet now that he had to stand on his own.

"Let's come to business right away and skip the small talk, shall we?" The voice was laced with sweet venom, the dark eyes glistening. "We both know what you are, so you can stop acting." _"Things may actually become much easier if you cooperate."_

Toby raised his eyebrows. Sure, right. "What do you want?" he asked for the second time that hour.

"Your assistance, of course," Nick said as if that part was clear as rain. "We can offer you a job in exchange for your… eh … gift."

"Forget it," Toby answered without thinking. "No way."

"_I thought you might say that."_ "Andre," Nick nodded at the tall man.

And before Toby realised what happened he had doubled over and was gasping for air. The blow to his stomach had come out of nowhere. Before he had time to recover he was pulled upright, only to be hit again. With his hands still tied on his back there was no way to break his fall and he landed hard on the floor, struggling to get air in his lungs.

Nick paced in front of him. "This could be a lot easier, you know. All we want is your help in a few of our transactions. Just to make sure my adversaries aren't double crossing me."

"Screw you!" Toby managed to grunt.

This time his mental eye did prepare him for the kick but there was still very little he could do to avoid it. Andre's foot connected with his ribs and the few gulps of air he had managed to breath in, were brutally kicked out again.

Toby knew he couldn't keep this game up for very long. His mind was already all over the place and now his body was betraying him as well. But as before, talking back to his tormentors was about the only thing he could control, damn the consequences.

"Toby, Toby. You're eventually going to help us, so you might save yourself the fight." Nick sounded amused, enjoying the fact that he had this telepath at his mercy. All he had to do was break the young man and then anything was achievable. The possibilities were endless. Someone who could read minds was a potential gold mine. No one would be able to surprise him.

Nick's waves of utter pleasure washed over Toby. Only then did he realise how very cruel these two men were. And how utterly hopeless his situation had just become. His only hope lied, once again, in Charlie's hands. How on earth had she become his saviour all the time?


	7. Surprises

**Disclaimer**: see first chapter.

**Author's note**: Where to start? I still get reviews and people keep reading this story, so I feel obligated to continue. It's challenging to say the least, but I'll do my best to honour your loyalty. This chapter is shorter than previous ones, I think (didn't really check the pages), but it felt like the right place to end it.

I still haven't finished the whole story, but I've put this chapter up nonetheless. I hope life will give the time (!) and imagination to keep going. Please read, review and accepts my apology for not updating sooner.

**Extra note**: I've seen the second season of The Listener and quite enjoyed it, to be honest. Especially the last few episodes where Toby is struggling with the whole thing. ;-) I have to say thought that, obviously, my own story does not fit with the timeline of the second season since I started writing it only after the first season. Hope you don't mind...

Enjoy!

* * *

7. Surprises

Charlie felt uneasy as the guy in front of her was checking her out. And he wasn't trying to hide it either, looking at her breasts and legs, nodding approvingly. She had entered the bar about half an hour ago, simply asking if there was a job opening. Apparently they were always looking for 'interesting people', as the barman had put it, so here she was: standing in front of this stranger, trying to pass her 'job interview'.

"And you can start right away?"

Charlie nodded. "I need some cash so the sooner the better."

"Mmm, any experience?"

"Sure," the cop answered. "Been a waitress for years back in Otawa."

"You lived in Otawa?"

"Born and raised. But I needed a change." Charlie shrugged, working on her fake background story. "You know, wrong guy, wrong friends. I need a new start, so moving away seemed like the next best thing."

Becker had suggested that she made it sound as if she had no friends in the city whatsoever and apparently that was the right move. The guy started smiling. "New start, you say? Well, I'm sure you'll find plenty of nice friends over here. Don't you worry."

The detective gave him a big smile and shook her hair back over her shoulders in what she hoped was a sexy way. "Just what I need; I can use some good mates. Does this mean I've got the job?"

"Just have to check and ask Nick, but you look like a girl who would fit right in. Just wait here for a moment."

He left and Charlie had a look around. The place was quiet, but that didn't surprise her at this time of day. Most of the activity would be happening at night and it was only midday. The bar was dark, not too big, some tables and chairs were put in random places. There were even a few old coaches in the far corner, where right now the only 2 customers were sitting in, drinking a beer.

A girl was sitting on the low table in front of them, her back towards Charlie. The cop noticed that the woman was hardly wearing any clothes. Shifting a bit uncomfortably Charlie realised that she hadn't thought about what 'working' in this place may actually meant. She had assumed that a waitress would be serving drinks, she even considered that maybe she would have to endure a bit more than the occasional dirty talk, but seeing this woman openly flirting with 2 drunks made her rethink her idea of going undercover.

There was, however, no time to leave, as the guy walked back in, telling her to follow him inside. Charlie knew that if she did, there was no way back. If she wanted out this was her chance. With one last glance at the corner she followed the guy through the door.

She was taken down a few halls before the guy showed her into one of the rooms at the right. It seemed to be a bureau of some sorts, with a desk in the middle and heaps of paper all over the place.

As she entered the room she heard another voice from behind. "This is the new one?" The question was directed at the guy who took her 'interview' and he nodded. A large man entered the room and smiled at her.

Charlie instinctively knew that somehow this man was the boss: authority came naturally to him. Her guard was up, feeling that as the man now standing in front of her may look as a nice guy, he most certainly wasn't. "My name is Charlie," she said, holding out her hand. "Thanks for giving me the job."

"Nice to meet you, Charlie. I am Nick and it's my pleasure to offer you the job." The words sounded friendly enough, but chills were running down the detective's back. "I heard you are looking for friends?"

"Well, yes," she answered. "Friends, money, a new start really." She gave a shy nod and dropped her eyes, playing the part of dumb bimbo. "When can I start?"

"Immediately, if you want. It's not busy right now, but things should pick up in the bar soon. I'll get one of the other girls to show you around, to give you a quick update on how things work around here. Let's call tonight a test: if you pass, you can come back tomorrow and we'll work out the details."

"Sounds fair to me."

Nick laughed. "I am a fair man. You be good to me and I'll be good for you. Don't worry: we're a big happy family in here and we take care of each other. Anyway, I'll introduce you to Manuela and she'll tell you what you need to know. She'll also give you your uniform."

Nick gave a sign to someone standing at the door. An average looking woman walked in, about 40 years old, Charlie guessed. Short dark hair, fairly skinny, but age was starting to show. She looked tired and her eyes held a bored expression.

"Manuela, this is Charlie, our newest waitress. You take care of her today, show her around. Ok?" Nick didn't wait for an answer, but gave both women another smile and left.

An awkward silence fell before Manuela sighed. "Right, you come with me. This is Nick's bureau, as you may have guessed. You don't come in here unless you are told to do so. You already know where the bar is, that's were you'll start working. I'll introduce you to the other girls who work the bar with you tonight."

Once she started talking Manuela kept up an endless stream of explanation while she walked down the hall, Charlie on her heels. "Every night there are about 5 to 10 girls in the bar, depending on how many clients we get. There's Johnny, the bartender. A few guards, there's Andre. Once you get the hang of things in the bar, you'll get more responsibilities."

Charlie lost track of the conversation and took the liberty of looking around not paying any attention to Manuela's voice. So when the explanation ended, Charlie didn't notice immediately.

"Any more questions?"

The loud question startled Charlie. "No, it's clear and I'm sure I'll learn what's needed while on the job," she stumbled, her face turning a bit red. If she wanted to fit in here, she really should try to pay better attention to what the lady was saying.

Manuela eyed her disapprovingly before handing her a few clothes. "Try these and see if they fit. I'm pretty sure they will be your size."

Charlie took the two little pieces wearily. "That's it? I may as well go naked."

She had said it half jokingly, but Manuela didn't even smile. "Men pay more easily when they are distracted." Her voice sounded bitter and the detective took a better look at the other woman. Once again it struck her at how tired she looked. And right now there was also a sadness in her eyes, belying her earlier aloof posture.

"What do you mean?" The cop asked.

A few seconds passed before Manuela answered. "Just put on the clothes so I can show you the rest of the place." Gone was the sadness, once again replaced with the cool attitude. She turned around and fumbled with a few things in the corner to give the detective some privacy to change her clothes.

However Charlie had seen that there was more to this woman then she had first thought. If she wanted to find out more about this place, Manuela sure was the right person to talk to. The older woman must have been working here for a long time and had seen thing, perhaps too many things.

While trying to fit into the tiny hotpants and silly top, Charlie made a mental note to befriend this woman one way or another.

"And how is our guest feeling today?" Andre entered the small room where Toby had been brought to.

The paramedic had lost track of time quite some time ago and wasn't sure how long they had held him captive. It must have been towards two days now, so surely he'd be missed by now. Olivia and Oz would have raised the alarm and Charlie would be out there searching for him. That's what he held on to.

However, how on earth were they supposed to find him? He had run off to a place he'd never gone before where got himself drunk and slept with a hooker. There would be no witnesses whatsoever to his disappearance so why would Charlie suspect him to come here? No, the situation wasn't looking to bright at the moment.

After their last confrontation Nick and Andre had taken him to this tiny room. His hands were no longer cuffed, but that fact didn't help him in any way. The room had no windows and judging by the smell and the cold, it must be somewhere in the basement of the building. There they had left him to himself.

Twice they had given him some food and water, but only after they had been taunting him both mentally and physically. Fighting them at first, Toby realised very quickly that he hardly stood a chance. He decided then and there that he would spend all of his efforts into restoring his mental state instead of physically fighting back.

Toby sighed, closing his eyes. Until Nick had found out his secret, he had been certain he could get out of this place one way or another. He'd find a way to contact Charlie and save these girls, but ever since that fateful moment, Toby wasn't sure of anything. For the first time in a long time, the young man felt completely vulnerable, lost and scared to death.

"Hey," Andre yelled, giving Toby a good shove. He had come in some ten minutes earlier, chitchatting as if Toby were his best friend. "Are you even listening?"

Toby looked up, he had not even pretended to be interested in the guy. "Just get it over with. Do what you want, I'll never help you either way, so get on with it."

"Still fighting are you?" Andre seemed to think that was a funny thing. "Don't worry, you'll change your mind eventually. I'm here to take you to your first job. Get up." Andre gave him another shove.

Not up for another fight, Toby did as he was asked. His hands were once again bound behind his back before he was shoved out of the door. They took him up and down a few hallways. As he passed several people, none of them even gave him a second glance. Apparently they were used to seeing people being dragged around in bonds, not a very comforting thought.

All of a sudden a woman rounded a corner and bumped into their little group. Looking up Toby nearly jumped in surprise. How did she end up here? Did she somehow found out where he was?

The detective staring back at him looked equally as wide-eyed when she recognised him. Years of experience overrode Charlie's instincts to speak out to him. She hid her initial surprise, turned her eyes down, apologized for her clumsiness and kept walking, her mind swirling with questions. How did Toby managed to get himself into trouble again?

Their encounter didn't last more than a few seconds and the guys surrounding Toby hadn't even noticed the eye contact between them. However, Toby looked over his shoulder and felt a shimmer of hope returning. Maybe not all was lost after all.


End file.
